EAST LANSING, Mich. (NCN News) – A former UNC-Chapel Hill Chancellor is having a change of heart and will remain at Michigan State University after being announced as the new president of Clemson University in May.
“The Clemson University Board of Trustees was notified that Kevin Guskiewicz has chosen to remain at Michigan State University for personal reasons,” according to statement from the Upstate South Carolina school
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The national search had a robust pool of candidates, and the Board will be meeting soon to determine next steps.”
“My commitment is to continue showing up every day with energy, humility and purpose — to listen carefully, engage openly and lead in a way that reflects the values of this university and the confidence you place in me,” Guskiewicz said in a statement announcing his plans.
“President Guskiewicz has been transformational for Michigan State University over the past two years, and we are pleased to confirm that he has decided to stay and continue to chart a course forward for our institution,” said
Michigan State Board Chair Brianna Scott. “When he initially told me he was leaving, I asked him to consider rethinking his decision. I am so happy that he did! I always knew that his heart was with MSU.”
Guskiewicz will remain in his position with a salary of $1.5 million, according to a press release sent by the Board of Trustees. This raise will be funded by “non-university resources.”
Vice President of Communications Emily Guerrant told The State News of East Lansing that this salary raise would not go into effect until October, along with the rest of the MSU faculty’s annual raises.
When he announced his departure, Guskiewicz cited “discord” among the Board of Trustees as the reason for his departure from the university.
“While many across this university community have embraced that spirit, it has become increasingly clear that there are differing perspectives within the Board of Trustees regarding how best to move MSU forward,” Guskiewicz said in May. “At times, too much energy has been spent revisiting past conflicts and internal disagreements rather than focusing collectively on the opportunities and aspirations ahead of us.”
In a message to the campus community at Michigan State on Monday, Guskiewicz said:
“The board has demonstrated a commitment to implementing a more robust governance structure, including recent improvements to the Code of Ethics and Conduct,” “I am grateful for the patience the board extended as I worked through this deeply personal decision, and for the confidence and encouragement I received from members of the board, our leadership team, our distinguished faculty and so many alumni, donors, students, staff and friends of the university.”
Guskiewicz spent nearly three decades at UNC before being named the school’s chancellor in 2019. He left for Michigan State in 2024.